Folding basket or shipping-crate.



J. HOOVER. FOLDING BASKET 0R SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.27. 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented J an. 19

J. HOOVER. FOLDING BASKET OR SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1914.

1,125,100, Patented Jan.19,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gluon H01,

Llano)? 2550/07 12".

J. HOOVER.

FOLDING BASKET 0R SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1914.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J w/ i A) 2/ Z m 3011 ncov .racon HOOVER, or ennnnmc, coLoItAno.

FOLDING BASKET on SHIPPING-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial No. 834,830.

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, JACOB HOOVER, a c1t1- zen of the United States, residing at Greeley, in the county of Weld and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Baskets. or Shipping-Crates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a folding basket or shipping crate and the principal object of the same is the production of a folding crate or box which may be easily set up and held in an operative position or which may be folded so as to require a minimum amount of space for shipping the same.

Another object of this invention is the production of a folding crate or box which is so formed as to allow a plurality of the frames to be folded above the remaining frames thereby allowing all of the frames to be evenly folded when the crate is in a collapsed position.

Another object of this invention is the production of a plurality of pivot standards carried at each corner of the base whereby the severalsections or frames of the box or crate may be easily supported or may be folded upon the standards when so desired.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folding box or crate showing the same in a set up position, the lining and top being removed. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section taken through the assembled device. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the folding basket or crate showing the same in a collapsed position. Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary section through one corner portion of the crate illustrating the manner in which the frames are pivotally secured to one of the'corner standards. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55, of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a'horizontal section taken on the line 66, of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the corner standards Fig. 8 is an elevation of a portion of one of the frames,

parts of the frame being shown in section. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken through one of the T-shape joints illustrating the manner in which-the ends of the rods are carried thereby. Fig. '10 is a fragmentarysectional view of a portion of the device illustrating the manner in which one o'f the staples is carried. Fig. 11 is a detailed per- 7 spectlve v1ew of one portion of the canvas lining.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals 1 designates the end angle bars which are preferably L-shape in cross-section and are placed so as to allow only one edge portion pf each bar to rest upon a sup; port. One side of each bar is adapted to carry the end of the longitudinally extending strips 2, these (strips 2 carrying at their central portion the transverse strip 3, whereby the longitudinal strips 2 will be .efliciently braced at their central portion by the ends thereof and will be supported upon the angle bars 1. From this construction it will be seen that a substantially rigid base or bottom for the foldin basket or crate has been produced upon which the sides or frames thereof are adapted to be pivotally secured.

A corner standard is fixedly carried upon each corner of the base or bottom and comprises a plate 4 having a plurality of apertures 5 through which securing meansfi may be passed for fixedly securing the corner--standard s in position. An upstanding body 7 isintegr'al upon the plate 4 and this .body 7 is provided with pivot sockets 8 and 9 for the reception of the pivot portions of the frames when the device is assembled. By referring to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the socket 9 is formed at a, spaced distance above the socket 8 for purposes to be hereinafter set forth. The end frames of the basket or cratecomprise the upper rods 10 which are connected at their inner end portions by means ofthe T-joint 11. this T- joint 11 being adapted to carry the vertical rod 12 which communicates at its lower end with the T-joint 13." This T-joint 13 is provided with the lower rods 14 which extend parallel to the upper rods 10. The outer ends of the upper rods 10 and the lower rods 14 are orovidedwith secondary T-joints 15, these T-joints 15 being connected by the vertical end rods 16. Each secondary T- joint 15 is also provided with a lug 17, one of the lugs 17 at each end of the end frame being adapted to fit within the pivot socket 8formed in thecorner standard, while the other la 17 is adapted to engage a means for holding the frame in a set-up position. Each end frame is formed similar to the opposite end and is connected or used in connection with the front and rear frames which are also formed similar to each other.

The front and rear frames each comprise the longitudinally extending upper rods 18 and the lower longitudinally extending rods 19, these rods 18 and 19 being connected at their inner ends by the "l -joints 11 which carry the vertical rod 12'. Upon the free ends of the rods 18 there is provided a three-way thimble 20. This threeway thimble is adapted to be fixedly secured to the free end of the particular rod 18 and to the corner rod 21 by means of the depending portion thereof. This three-way thimble is also provided with a lateral projection 22 having an opening adapted to re lceive the lug 17 carried by one of the thim- /bles 15 of the basket or crate. For the purpose of holding the frame in a set-up position the three-way thimbles 20 are each provided with a latch 23 engaging a pin 24 carried upon the upper T-joints 15 of the end frames, thereby securely locking the frames in engagement with each other at their corner portions and preventing the same from becoming accidentally disengaged. This folding frame is adapted to be provided with a lining 25 whlch is formed preferably of canvas or like material whlch is adapted to fit snugly within the frame.

Each verticalrod 12' of the front and rear side frames is provided with a staple 27, one of the staples being adapted to carry a hinge 28 fixedly secured to the top or cover 29 while theother staple is adapted to, se cure the hasp 30 carried by the opposite sides of the top or cover 29. The hinge 28 and the hasp 30 are adapted to be held upon the staples 27 by means of the pins 31 which are carried within the staples 27 and upon the outer sides of the hinge and hasp.

\Vhen the device is in use the front and rear frames are first swung to a. vertical position by pivoting within the journal sockets 9 of the corner standards. The ends which are also pivotally secured to the corner standards may then be swung to a vertical position at which time the lugs 17 of the end frames may be positioned within the projection 22 formed upon the corner thimbles 20 carried by the longitudinal rods 18. The hasps may then be thrown to engage the pins 24, whereby the corner thimbles 20 will be firmly held upon the lugs 17 of the end frames, thereby forming a substantially rigid one piece structure. After the basket has been set up it may be filled with the contents adapted to be carried thereby. The top or cover 29 may then be positioned upon the upper portion of the folding frame at I which time the hasp and hinge may be positioned so as to engage the staples 27 carrled by the vertical rods 12'. If it is desired to have access to the interior of the lid 29n1ay be swung upwardly so as to allow free access to the interior of the device. When the shipping basket or crate has been emptied of its contents and it is desired to return the same, the top may be removed by pulling the pins from engagement with the staples 27 and lifting the hinge and hasp from engagement with the staples and removing. the top from the upper portion of the basket or crate. The latch 23 may then be swung from engagement with the pins 24 at which time the end frames may be swung downwardly to rest upon the longitudinal slats 2 of the base or bottom of the crate. Since the pivot sockets 8 formed in the corner standards of the crate or basket are formed at a spaced distance below the pivot sockets 9, the end frames will be positioned below the folding line of the front and rear frames and, therefore, these frames may be folded upon the upper portion of the end frames, allowing the shipping crate to assume a very compact position owing to the manner in which the several frames are pivoted. The front and rear side frames and the bottom of this basket or box are provided with a single strip of canvas 25 which is riveted or sewed to the frame and extends from the upper portion of the front frame across the bottom of the basketand covers the rear side terminating adjacent the upper portion thereof. A reinforcing piece of canvas 33 is positioned upon the bottom of the basket or box and under the portion of the strip of canvas 25 which covers the side frames and bottom thereof. This piece of canvas 33 is fixedly secured to the bottom of the basket or box so as to reinforce the piece of canvas 25, the end frames are provided with separate strips of canvas 34: which are fixedly secured to these end frames. These separate strips of canvas 34 which are fixedly secured to the end frames by rivets, sewing, or the like, are provided with fiaps 35 as shown in Fig. 11 which are adapted to span the distance between the corner vertical rods, this distance being illustrated in Fig. 1, thereby preventing the articles contained within the basket from being lost or passing between the corner vertical rods. Since the end frames are provided with these fixed pieces of canvas 34: it is also necessary to provide the lower portions thereof with the elongated strips 36 as shown in Fig. 11 which fit down below the rods 14 and prevent any of the articles contained within the basket or box from rolling under the rods. By forming the canvas lining in this manner it will be seen the bottom or base of the basket or box and is fixedly secured to the front and rear sides.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and efiicient folding basket or shipping crate has been produced which may be very easily set up when desired for use, or which may be rapidly collapsed so as to allow the several sections to rest evenly upon each other when it is desired to ship the same when the device is not in use.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is i A folding basket or crate comprising a base, a plurality of pivot standards fixedly secured to the corners of said base, a plurality of rectangular frames ivotally secured to said standards, each of said frames comprising upper and lower parallel rods, a plurality of said rectangular frames provided with T-joints at their ends, vertical rods connecting said T-joints, a plurality of lugs projecting beyond said T-joints, a plurality of said lugs pivotally secured within said pivot standards whereby the last mentioned frames will be pivotally secured to said standards, the remaining frames provided at their ends with a three-way thimble, said frames provided with vertical standards at their end portions, a threeway thimble carried upon the upper free ends of said last mentioned frames, said first mentioned frames adapted to be engaged by'said three-way thimbles of said last mentioned frames whereby the frames may be detachably held in a set-up position. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence'of two witnesses.

JACOB HOOVER.

J OHN R. WoRTHAUs. 

